A new Italian restaurant is settling into the space near Roanoke City Hall once occupied by Catch 22, and it's being led by a chef who started working in restaurants at age 12. Lusso by Vittorio Di Buglione will open its first location later in 2026, bringing traditional Italian fare built around simple, authentic ingredients, according to Community Impact.
According to Community Impact, the restaurant is currently undergoing renovations and licensing in the former Catch 22 location. Lusso's menu will lean on ingredients imported from Italy, and the restaurant plans to offer tableside experiences alongside what Di Buglione describes as Italian hospitality.
The name itself carries meaning. Lusso is the Italian word for luxury, but Di Buglione said the restaurant is not a luxury restaurant. He described the concept this way: “It's not going to be the same restaurant for everybody,” per the same outlet's report.
A Pasta Room at the Center of It All
One of the restaurant's signature features will be a pasta room positioned in the middle of the dining space, where guests can watch fresh pasta being made daily. It's a design choice that puts the kitchen's craft on full display rather than tucking it away behind closed doors. The restaurant also plans to offer tableside experiences.
From Working at 12 to Running His Own Kitchen
Di Buglione's path to Roanoke started young. He began working in restaurants in Italy at age 12 to help support his family, eventually attending culinary school and gaining experience at three Michelin-star restaurants, as reported by Community Impact, before deciding to chase new opportunities in Texas, where he moved in 2021.
That Texas chapter has included time at other Italian concepts in the area. Di Buglione joined Stellini Trattoria in September 2023, a Grapevine restaurant that has since built its own reputation for tableside flair, as noted by Community Impact. The same outlet reported that Stellini began serving tableside Pasta alla Ruota, or cheese-wheel pasta, on Tuesday nights starting in September 2025 — a showmanship-driven approach that echoes the kind of guest experience Di Buglione appears to be aiming for at his own restaurant.
What to Expect When Lusso Opens
With Lusso, Di Buglione is positioning himself as the owner rather than an employee, building out a restaurant centered on traditional Italian cooking without unnecessary complication. Diners can expect dishes made with simple, authentic ingredients, many of them imported directly from Italy, alongside the tableside service and pasta-room centerpiece that the restaurant plans to lead with once it opens near Roanoke City Hall later in 2026.
